The cellular architecture of the antimicrobial response network in human leprosy granulomas

Nat Immunol. 2021 Jul;22(7):839-850. doi: 10.1038/s41590-021-00956-8. Epub 2021 Jun 24.

Abstract

Granulomas are complex cellular structures composed predominantly of macrophages and lymphocytes that function to contain and kill invading pathogens. Here, we investigated the single-cell phenotypes associated with antimicrobial responses in human leprosy granulomas by applying single-cell and spatial sequencing to leprosy biopsy specimens. We focused on reversal reactions (RRs), a dynamic process whereby some patients with disseminated lepromatous leprosy (L-lep) transition toward self-limiting tuberculoid leprosy (T-lep), mounting effective antimicrobial responses. We identified a set of genes encoding proteins involved in antimicrobial responses that are differentially expressed in RR versus L-lep lesions and regulated by interferon-γ and interleukin-1β. By integrating the spatial coordinates of the key cell types and antimicrobial gene expression in RR and T-lep lesions, we constructed a map revealing the organized architecture of granulomas depicting compositional and functional layers by which macrophages, T cells, keratinocytes and fibroblasts can each contribute to the antimicrobial response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / immunology
  • Fibroblasts / microbiology
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Keratinocytes / immunology
  • Keratinocytes / microbiology
  • Keratinocytes / pathology
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / genetics
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / immunology*
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / microbiology
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / pathology
  • Leprosy, Tuberculoid / genetics
  • Leprosy, Tuberculoid / immunology*
  • Leprosy, Tuberculoid / microbiology
  • Leprosy, Tuberculoid / pathology
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / microbiology
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium leprae / immunology*
  • Mycobacterium leprae / pathogenicity
  • RNA-Seq
  • Single-Cell Analysis
  • Skin / immunology*
  • Skin / microbiology
  • Skin / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Transcriptome